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First Congregational

United Church of Christ

... exploring the frontiers of faith in Jesus

PARABOLA goes to the Minnesota Fringe Festival!

dont u luv me? will be performed in August at the Minnesota Fringe Festival - one of the country's largest performing arts festivals - in Minneapolis/St. Paul. If you'd like to help contribute to the expenses of this trip, donations are appreciated and can be sent to the church office.

See full information, including Minneapolis show times, on the PARABOLA page!

The many faces of ... FOCUS!

Click on either photo to see a larger image!

FOCUS: junior high youth group

FOCUS: junior high youth group

FOCUS is on break for the summer. When it resumes, it is open to all area youth aged 12-15. Feel free to bring any interested friends or family! Call Greg, at 234-8927, for more information. Spread the word!

We typically begin each meeting with a family style meal, which gives us a chance to share what we're thankful for. Then we take part in a variety of activities. The following are some of the plans we had for this past year: 1) Direct a short film (Create the idea, the design, and the storyboard and the rest of the group will serve as the production team to bring the project to life.) 2) Create original works of art on canvas, t-shirts, and rocks. Explore carvings, collages and printmaking as well. 3) Learn about Paul in ancient Rome: Paul lived in a culture that placed great emphasis on entertainment, politics, and the self. Sound familiar? 4) Join other area youth for hayrides, overnights and mission opportunities. 5) Make our own root beer in eight simple steps. 6) Discuss things that make teen life so challenging and find ways to deal with these issues. 7) Ski trip, plays, music, masks, overseas pen pals, magic, seed spitting contests, environmental activism and much more. 8) And, of course, we take a bit of time each week to play games in the youth room. (Wii, pool, carpetball, soccer, etc.)

If it sounds like fun, watch this space for news of the next season! Or call Greg for more information or to be added to the list! 234-8927

PARABOLA: Unique Theatrical Group for Teens

PARABOLA page

Parabola actors

Our high school group, Parabola, will begin their regular weekly meetings Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30 p.m. on September 21, 2010. We will continue to explore the world of drama and how this medium can be used to educate, entertain, and engage.

This past year the PARABOLA group decided to mix art with mission and take on some weighty subject matter. The play we produced is called Don't U Luv Me? It deals with identifying signs of abusive teen relationships in a very powerful and dramatic way. It was written for a theatre in Dallas, earlier this year, and, is very up-to-date. Some of the dialogue even appears as text messages on a large screen behind the actors.

The plot centers on a high school sophomore, Angela, who begins dating a popular senior named C.J. At first things seem great but then C.J. begins to tell her how to dress; calls at 3:00 a.m.; insists that she spend her time with him rather than with friends or at school; stores compromising pictures of her on his phone; and, when Angela tries to break things off, threatens to harm himself and later turns that threat toward Angela herself. It is powerful material and the PARABOLA youth are drawn to the visceral energy of the play and the power of the message.

We have toured this production to area schools, churches, libraries, theatres and have used it to invoke discussion with both youth and adults.

PARABOLA is open to all high school students. No acting experience is necessary and, in fact, several members prefer to write, or assist backstage, rather than do any performing. Any God given talent can be put to use to spread the message. Call Greg, at 234-8927, with any questions.